By Lagi Keresoma
APIA, SAMOA – 08 JUNE 2022: Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa is on her first official bilateral overseas visit to New Zealand this week.
Her delegation was welcomed by New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinta Adern last night at a historic time marking 60 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries and the 60th anniversary of Samoa’s independence.
The Treaty of Friendship that underpins the relationship and pledges that both countries work together to promote the welfare of the people of Samoa was signed by Fiame’s father and Samoa’s first Prime Minister, Fiame Mata’afa Faumuina Mulinu’u II.
Prime Minister Fiamē will also meet with the New Zealand Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister for Trade & Export Growth, Associate Minister for Immigration, Minister for Climate Change, Minister for Pacific People and the leader of the Opposition Party.
Samoa’s High Commissioner to New Zealand Leasi Papalii Tommy Scanlan will accompany her to Hawkes Bay where she will meet the RSE workers and will also visit the workers’ accommodations.
She will also meet with Air New Zealand’s Chief Executive Officer noting that borders will be opened soon.
Fiame and delegation will also visit the Te-Papa Museum, the Auckland University of Technology and the Pacific Island Memorial.
Fiame is accompanied by the Minster of Pacific Peoples in New Zealand, Aupito Viliamu Sio and orator Asiata of the New Zealand-Samoan Community.
Samoan community welcome Fiame & delegation
The Samoan community in Auckland welcomed Fiame and her delegation with an Ava ceremony on Monday morning before attending the 60th anniversary celebrations of Samoa’s independence hosted by the Samoan community at Samoa House in Mangere, Auckland.
The live and still images of the celebrations circulating on social media captured the Samoan community coming out in full force to welcome the country’s first woman Prime Minister and to celebrate the country’s 60th independence anniversary.
She then departed for Fiji on Monday evening for the opening of Samoa’s High Commission Chancery in Suva and returned to New Zealand on yesterday evening for her official visit.
After her New Zealand visit, the Prime Minister will lead Samoa’s delegation to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Rwanda, Africa.
This is Fiame’s first official international rounds of meetings since her Government came to power in July 2021 following a four months long political crisis.
The Prime Minister’s delegation includes the CEO of the Ministry Prime Minister & Cabinet, Agafili Shem Leo, CEO Foreign Affairs & Trade, Peseta Noumea Simi, Samoa’s Ambassador to Belgium, Francella Strickland, and Nanai Vani Vai.
